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Gideon

No

“Fuck.”

“You’d be wise to just let him know what’s going on.” Alex tsked.

“Maybe you should just sit there and be quiet.” I wasn’t going to be able to bullshit my way out of this. If I lied now, he’d be pissed later. If I told the truth now, he’d be pissed now…and come and kill me. Welp, in for a penny…

Me

Don’t be mad.

Gideon

That’s never a good way to start a conversation, Danny!

Me

Right. So, hypothetically if Alex and I happened to have Maksim chained to a bed right now, would that be a bad thing?

I saw that he’d read my text, and the thirty seconds he didn’t answer didn’t bode well for me. He was likely cursing up a storm, and Penn was probably trying to calm him down.

Gideon

Are you fucking kidding me?

Me

I said hypothetically.

Gideon

But it’s not, is it?

Me

Maybe…

Alex got up and was now standing behind me and reading the text exchange. “You’re killin’ it, Danny.”

“Go fuck yourself…over there.” I pointed to the chair he had vacated.

Gideon

Where the hell are you and if you refuse to tell me, I will just have Toni track you.

He was a good hour away from here, so it would still give Alex and me time to talk to Maksim before he arrived. There was no point in not telling him—he would absolutely have Toni find us.

Me

The house on Acorn

Gideon

With the bears?

Me